The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath

by Joe Lieberman, David Klinghoffer

Now in paperback, Senator Joe Lieberman shows how ceasing all activity for a weekly Sabbath observance has profound benefit—including health, relationships, and even career advancement—for people of all religions.

Rediscovering the Beauty of Sabbath Rest

Our bodies and souls were created to rest—regularly—and when they do, we experience heightened productivity, improved health, and more meaningful relationships.

In these pages you’ll find wonderful stories of the senator’s spiritual journey, as well as special Sabbath experiences with political colleagues such as Bill Clinton, Al and Tipper Gore, John McCain, Colin Powell, George W. Bush, Bob Dole, and others. Senator Joe Lieberman shows how his observance of the Sabbath has not only enriched his personal and spiritual life but enhanced his career and enabled him to serve his country to his greatest capacity.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Judaism, Spirituality, Jewish, Inspirational, Theology

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 16, 2011

Reviews

[Helga Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book by Joe Lieberman about The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath. I found this to be a very spiritual and inspirational book to read during Yom Kippur, one of the holiest days of Judaism and into Shabbat. I really liked how he interwove stories of his life as an observant Orthodox Jew with his life as a US Senator.

He explained how he received the gift of the Sabbath from his parents, who received it from their parents and how he lives his life today. The message he gives is for everyone regardless of your religion, taking a day of rest for the body, soul, mind and spirit and to take the time to reconnect with God, self, family and community is good for everyone and will make one’s life more purposeful. It was interesting to read how he was able to follow his religious traditions while working in public office with events occurring during the Sabbath.

I have deep respect for his profound love and respect for the Sabbath and how he upholds the 4th Commandment and explains how the first part of the commandment states to work for 6 days. I found it deeply moving and could easily equate with him about the rituals and the prayers of the Sabbath and could see myself at the Shabbat service. It was a highly inspirational and moving book for me.

[Linda Thibodeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved,loved this book. I have strong Christian beliefs so I am not converting to Judaism but Joe Lieberman's book showed me that I am missing out on the gifts of the sabbath. I read it and now feel lonely for a sabbath, if that makes any sense. I learned so much about slowing down and taking time for God, self, family, friends. One of these days I will create a sabbath like this for myself. I also got to know Joe and what a man he is. Writes beautifully. Made me cry.

[Steve Kahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great suggestions to help refocus dealing with life's challenges. The US has had a decline in religion, which has led to many ailments causing physical and mental deficits. Studies show people who practice a religion that incorporate a day of rest, have better outcomes relating to health, family life, work and other areas of their lives. Worth reading even if it helps in a few areas of your life.

[B Malley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was given this as a gift from someone who had extra copies, and I appreciate that because it's probably not something I would have picked up on my own. A nice read with lots of behind-the-scenes glimpses into religious observance while in office.

[Lisianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the message of this book. Senator Lieberman does an eloquent job of intertwining his history, religion, and message into a mostly easy to read (some of the Jewish words are difficult). And, I love his message: regardless, of your religion, taking a day of rest for the body, soul, mind and spirit, using the time to reconnect to ones God, self, family and community is something we should all do. I have been a Christian my whole life, yet I've never noticed that the first part of the 4th commandment was to work for 6 days. Wonderful ideas, and I will try and implement them for sure!

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!THIS BOOK IS FOR EVERYBODY!!!
One of the best books,I have read in a long time!!
it is thoughtful, practical and interesting.
Lots of great pointers about how to make a person's life much more meaningful and purposeful.
I borrowed this from the libary where I simply found it on the shelves but there are so many useful insights in it I need to get my own mark-up copy. I am not Jewish BTW. It's useful for anyone.
Rest, naps, family, quiet, learning and good food are something even secular people can appreciate.

[Michale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, because I was very uncomfortable when he began discussing religion publicly. But this is well written and compassionate, and his approaches to Shabbat and Tfilah are very similar to my own, even if I don't agree with everything he says or does. Would be a good book to recommend to someone who wanted to know more about what being Jewishly observant is like.

[Mistyblue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never been a huge fan of Senator Lieberman, and I definitely didn't vote for him. :) But I truly enjoyed this book, written to express the Senator's opinions about keeping the Sabbath day holy. I enjoyed learning about the Jewish culture and pondering the ideas proffered. While, I don't agree with Mr. Lieberman's views any better than I did before reading his words, my respect for him as a man has greatly risen. A book I would recommend to everyone.

[Molly Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insight to his practice of the Sabbath. Interesting to see how he has been able to follow his religious traditions while working in public office which requires both events and travel on the Jewish Sabbath. Much respect for anyone who works so hard to follow what he believes in. Several ideas worthy of incorporation into any life, even the non-religious.

[Candice Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

Learned a lot and enlightened my perspective on the Sabbath. I already plan to follow some of the suggestions in the book!

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Senator Joe Lieberman describes his book The Gift of Rest as "his love song to the Sabbath." It absolutely comes across that way - this book was written by a man who holds a profound love and respect for Shabbat. In turn, I could only read about it with an equally deep respect and appreciation for this weekly sacred ritual.

One thing that Senator Lieberman did which I appreciated was that he wrote not only for Jews, but for Christians as well and people of other faiths. While he details the steps of Jewish Shabbat, he consistently made reference to the fact that Christians also have a Sabbath and that we should find ways, wherever possible, to uphold that. He underlines Judeo-Christian connections and similarities throughout, but also interjects in certain areas that all faiths have some form of Sabbath. I also enjoyed learning about how he shares his Shabbat table with Jews and non-Jews alike.

I also enjoyed that he still made this a realistic lifestyle by incorporating elements not always permitted. For example, he said that he and his wife will read for leisure on Shabbat since it is meant to be a day of leisure and rest. Having been immersed in the Ultra-Orthodox community for three years, I can safely say that the ultra-Orthodox consider reading - even for pleasure - to be a form of work, and therefore it is completely prohibited on Shabbat except to read Scripture. By understanding that certain activities can be used for either work or leisure, and permitting them in leisure form, he renders Shabbat more accessible.

All in all, this was a quick and easy read, but a moving one. It is true that in these modern times, taking one full day of rest on a weekly basis is more and more difficult, but he maintains that it is worthwhile on a personal level, on a family and community level, and on a spiritual level. These are all true. This read was made all the more special by the fact that I chose to read it on Shabbat, knowing there were millions of Jews worldwide celebrating the very event that I was reading about.

[Sara Loves to Read]

Lubavitcher rebbe - on Shabbos the world is perfect, we relate to what is perfect and unchanging in it.
If you were expecting an honored guest to visit your home, what would you do?
The intensity of our experience is proportional to, among other things, the intensity of our preparation.
Delight on Shabbos, honor by preparing before Shabbos
Even if a person has household help he should prepare for Shabbos himself
The whole week is occupied w the anticipation of Shabbos
Erev Shabbos is a time for introspection about the previous week
Night is perceived by many as a time of trial, worry, and dread - ex in Shir Hashirim - daytime is relief and rejoicing - Shabbos begins at night
7 is a state of completion or perfection - Shabbos is meant to complete and perfect the life we have been leading all week long
Shabbos Queen is the Talmud’s ancient personification of Shabbos in relationship to Hashem the King
Rav Soloveitchik - on YT we enter Hashem’s palace but on Shabbos He enters our homes
Talmud writes how each day of the week has a partner except Shabbos so the Jewish people is shabbos’s partner
Arizal - go out to the field, stand in one place and face towards west, as the sun sets close your eyes and place left hand on your chest and right hand on left, stand before the King to receive the holiness of Shabbos

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a life-long Christian, and someone who also believes in the importance of Sabbath Day observance, I found Lieberman’s book so interesting.

I loved learning how and why they observe Shabbat as they do, and was inspired to add some elements of their worship to my own. It’s amazing to think of the same rituals being done for thousands of years.

Take aways:
The whole week is occupied, to one degree or another, with the anticipation of the Sabbath. Do something every day of the week in preparation for Shabbat (buy a treat and save it for Shabbat, buy flowers, use nice dishes, sit at the dining room table)

Shabbat is a time for resting, rejoicing, contemplating, reading and thinking

A time for introspection - think about what kind of week we have had. Did I do right by my family, friends, and coworkers? Did I do right by God?

Turn off TV, computer, cell phone, spend time outdoors, don’t wear a watch

“The Sabbath receives its meaning from the six days in which we labor, as our workdays receive their meaning from the rest we enjoy on the Sabbath. Each is dependent on the other. Each enriches the other.”

“If all of us would just stop and observe one Sabbath and then another in perfect unity with God and one another, then the world would be redeemed.”

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle of this interesting little book by former Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman is, "rediscovering the beauty of the Sabbath." Senator Lieberman is an Orthodox Jew but he wrote this book to appeal to Christians as well. The book jacket even boasts blurbs from folks like the Catholic Church's Archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, who notes, "As Pope John Paul II taught: we cannot work with God all week, if we do not rest with God on His Sabbath! Senator Lieberman’s reflections help each of us to remember just how to rest in God’s presence on His day.”

And from perhaps the opposite end of Christianity in Richard Land, who runs the Southern Evangelical Seminary, who wrote, "The Gift of Rest has certainly convicted this too-busy Baptist to mend his ways and once again embrace a weekly ‘day of rest.’”

I start by pointing out this broad based appeal because it is so unusual, especially in times of fractious political behavior, to see agreement from folks, particularly those whose religious beliefs are so different - yet rooted in the Bible's first five books.

The direction to honor a sabbath day comes from the book of Genesis, chapter 20, lines seven through ten:

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a sabbath unto the LORD thy God, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."
What Senator Lieberman does, as do others of varied religious doctrine who also follow this directive, is to take the words extremely literally. He won't turn lights on or off, for example (but he might leave a light on prior to the Sabbath); he won't drive in a car (or be driven); no television, radio, computers or phone calls. And while the Senator does this out of his sense of obligation to follow all the commandments his religious beliefs identify (613 of them), this particular one is clearly identifiable in what most folks call the Ten Commandments, but which is perhaps more correctly referred to as the Ten Directives, or Aseret ha-D'varim, in the Jewish belief. [1]

The punch line is that Senator Lieberman doesn't view this requirement as a take-away; rather he views it as a wonderful gift. One aspect of the gift is that he is forced to spend time with his family, friends and community without the distractions of work, television, internet, or phone calls. He finds this a particularly powerful weekly practice as it not only refreshes his relationships but also his energy and attitude towards the work week. He also says it puts the work week in perspective, remembering that the same Genesis line enjoins us to labor for six days out of seven, so the commandment to work is as strong as the commandment to rest. For non-Jewish readers, the Senator suggests making a Sunday sabbath a day of rest at this level of engagement (with others) and disengagement (from technology and worldly pursuits).

The rest of the book is a tour of a typical Sabbath for the Senator, which runs from slightly before dusk on Friday afternoon until one can see stars in the sky on Saturday evening. I found this book to be both interesting and thought provoking, well written and quick moving.

Footnotes:

[1] The concept is that there are 613 commandments found in the first five books of the Bible.[2] If there are 613 requirements, then it is inconsistent to think of 10 of them as commandments; worse, it might lead one to imagine that the remaining 603 commandments are less important. Which they aren't, at least not to religious Jews. This is rather confusing, because Exodus 38, lines 27-28 says: "The Lord said to Moses: 'Inscribe these words for yourself, for according to these words I have formed a covenant with you and with Israel'... He inscribed upon the tablets the words of the Covenant, the Ten Commandments." The Orthodox reasoning seems to be that if you take all of the Torah (first five books of the Bible) as the word of God, then where it says in that text to do (or not do) something, it must be a commandment from God, and that must be followed just as devoutly as a commandment captured on Moses' tablets. For example, the commandment to not embarrass another person comes from Leviticus 17, "You shall not hate your brother in your heart." This 613 deal is also no doubt why you never see Jews going door to door for converts; 613 rules make for a tough sell.[3]

[2] Of those 613 commandments, 248 of them are positive (do this) and 365 are negative (don't do that). Since nothing is easy in religion, there is of course no definitive list of the 613 in the bible; you have to look around. The work was done for believers by a physician named Mosheh ben Malmon, but more typically called Moses Maimonides, who compiled the Mishneh Torah (repetition of the Torah) as a code of religious law, while in Egypt in the late 1100s.

[3] Just as an aside, it seems that another reason Jews don't bother acting like young LDS members on a mission to convert is that in Jewish belief, non-Jews need only adhere to the seven Noahic commandments in order to find their place in Heaven. They come from Genesis Chapter 9 and are believed to be binding on all people (since all are descended from Noah and his family, post flood). (But the 613 commandments are binding only on the descendants of those at Sinai - the Jews.) Hard sell indeed: you can go to heaven following seven rules if you don't join, or join and be bound to 613 rules. Okay, I know you're curious; these rules are: 1) establish courts of justice; 2) not blaspheme; 3) not commit idolatry; 4) not commit incest or adultery; 5) not commit bloodshed; 6) not commit robbery; 7) not eat flesh cut from a living animal.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while, but I finally finished this one. I got a little bored of all of the Jewish rituals described in detail, but I did actually enjoy his ideas on keeping the Sabbath day Holy. He has clearly made it a big part of his life over the years, probably a bigger deal than those who belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Jewish people aren't supposed to drive their cars or use electricity, so that is more extreme than I want to go. But I did like many of the suggestions about removing yourself from the world and having family dinners and singing songs, and going to Worship on the Sabbath. He also made a point of how we should be working hard on the other 6 days of the week - which is an important detail that I don't always think about. If I do work hard the rest of the week, I can enjoy a break from laundry, shopping, cleaning, etc.

It is difficult if you have family members who want to treat the Sabbath differently than I do, so I'll have to consider what will work for me personally, as well as for my whole family.

[Shellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. Very compelling. Clearly explains a lot of rules and regulations that at first glance seem to be so odd and foreign to those outside the Jewish religion. Very thoughtfully put together. I enjoyed it.

That being said… I enjoyed the book about the Sabbath/Shabbat and the “tour” through his home or Shabbatland as he cleverly and enduringly calls it. That was what I wanted to read and learn about. The ‘book within the book’ about his political career was less intriguing, and certainly not as endearing. However some of the stories he included did enhance his telling of Shabbatland and were great. But there were many that did not fit, try as he might, into the Sabbath/Shabbat theme. But you can live through them I suppose. It did often times create the feeling of a ‘book within a book’ though, and that really was disappointing as an alternative agenda.

[Tiffany Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly learned so many meaningful lessons in this book. As a Christian, I am disappointed that most Christian churches have completely let go of the biblical sabbath. There is so much meaning to it, designed by God for his creation (us). I used to think of sabbath as a burdensome Jewish law but now I understand it’s designed for our own good: to bring families and friends together, step back, and look to our maker for peace, joy, and wisdom. Very grounding. Growing up I had a bad taste in my mouth for “rituals” because I was taught it replaced a relationship with God and became a checklist. This simply is not true. God designed us to be people of ritual.. patterns bring stability and guidance. As I prepare to start a family, my goal will be to establish daily and weekly practices that ground our family in our faith and bring stability and normalcy to scripture and prayer.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent on multiple levels

I’m not Jewish, and am relatively secular in my overall approach to life, but this book has given me a new appreciate for the value of a day of rest, as well as the unique benefits of formalizing and even ritualizing aspects of that day.

This book also provides an in-depth look at a very important facet of Jewish cultural and religious life, and thus will likely be appreciated by anyone who is curious to learn more about about how observant Jews approach the Sabbath.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the Senator's passing I was reminded that I had this book on the shelf. I finished it in just a couple of days. It is part memoir of his Jewish upbringing and part professional description of how his religion informs his life. Historical perspectives, personal experiences and religious commentary on Jewish life that surround the observing of the weekly Sabbath makes this so very useful and informative. He uses humor and poignant anecdotes to illustrate how to make Shabbos. I had no idea he was so good a (Jewish) writer.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book beautifully intertwines Senator Joe Lieberman’s Jewish faith with broader themes of spirituality, emphasizing the importance of rest and reflection in both Jewish and Christian traditions. He explores how various Jewish movements, from Orthodox to Reform, and the teachings of Christianity can coexist and enrich one another, fostering a deeper understanding of faith. Lieberman's insights encourage readers to appreciate the shared values of faith and community across religious boundaries.

[Mary Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book six years ago and, unlike scores of other books, this one has stayed with me. Lots of information about the history and meaning of the Sabbath in Judaism, and a whole lot to ponder about the benefits of observing the Sabbath in today's always-on-the-go society. My only gripe would be that Lieberman is a little too thorough, and sometimes the book seemed a little too long or too dry. Despite that, I'm thinking of picking this one up again for a re-read.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful, insightful read. I'm happy to see a book unapologetically, and yet without aggression, take on a topic of sacred religious practice, both personal and in community. The book is useful as a practical guide as well as a theoretical primer on sabbath theology of Judaism, and by extension many faiths.

Also, I'm curious to know more about Liebermann's career and ideas - he skirts at a few issues of his Congressional life and I'd like to know more.

[Leta Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sabbath is a holy day and should be treated as such.

This book helped me to better understand Judaism. Although those of the Jewish faith observe the Sabbath on a different day than other religions, it is no less sacred than our Sabbath Day. It was refreshing to read explanations of the various Sabbath activities and how the faithful observe such a special day. I would recommend this book to anyone with a limited knowledge of Judaism.

[John Madany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, beautiful book.

I grew up in a community that recognized a Sabbath day. I miss being in a community that had a day of rest. This book brought back memories and gave new insights.
I really appreciated the clarity in writing and the personal touch from the author.

This book is for everyone, Sabbath is a gift.

[Heath Kirkwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more than an autobiographical account of Sabbath. The author goes deeper into the meaning of Sabbath, offering it as an experience for the world. While he is rooted in his Jewish tradition, he also offers practical insights for those of other (or no) religious backgrounds. The contents of this book are fully deep and instructively practical.

[John Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

A readable, useful introduction to contemporary Jewish Sabbath practices in America, albeit littered with personal anecdotes that would be mildly interesting at best if not for the big names dropped therein.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and inspiring.

While I am not Jewish i found this book beautiful and inspiring. In a world where work and the pursuit of worldly success is over valued, the importance of rest is often overlooked. I want to try some of the suggestions he gave.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read. Mr. Lieberman does an excellent job of explaining the customs and traditions of the celebration of the Sabbath. He makes it very personal as he tells about his family and how they celebrate.

[Gary McCallister · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I am not Jewish but as a Christian who values the Sabbath day, I found much to think about and emulate in Jewish practices.

[Eric Barvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book to understand the basics of shabbat and the importance of a day of rest.